Energy Saving Lighting

With traditional bulbs soon to become a thing of the past, there has never been a better time to embrace energy saving lighting. From September 2021, climate change plan mean halogen bulbs will be banned. However, we still notice these older style bulbs on our website as we clear out our remaining stock. Now is the time to think of LED as the new standard when it comes to lighting. As well as the cost savings to you, there are lots of other benefits. According to the Energy Saving Trust, lighting accounts for about 15% of the energy used in a typical home. Think about how many lights, lamps, and fittings you have in each room, and this can soon mount up. Choose the right energy-saving bulbs and light fittings, and you will soon start to reap the rewards. In this article we are going to give you advice and tips on the best ways for you to save money and maximise the lighting in your home.

Are there different types of energy-saving light bulbs?

There are two main types of energy saving lightbulbs that can be used in and around the home – LEDs and CFLs.

Swapping just one regular light bulb with a long-lasting, LED of the same brightness will save you £2 a year. Multiply that by every light in your house, and that saving becomes quite significant.

Selecting the most suitable LED bulb can be a bit of a minefield as the choice can be overwhelming. If you need help selecting the right LED for your home and light fitting, we have written a comprehensive bulb buying guide here.

Change your light bulbs

If you were to swap all the traditional halogen spotlights or regular light bulbs in your home for LEDs, you could save roughly £35-£55 a year on your electricity bills. Combined with the fact that each bulb will last in the region of 25 years, so they will rarely need to be replaced, LEDs are a very economical choice.

The other major advantage of using LED is the superior quality of light. They typically provide a larger distribution of light and reach their full brightness immediately as soon they are switched on. Even compared with older CPL energy saving light bulbs, LEDs use much less energy.

The biggest benefit of LEDs by far, is the cost savings they can provide. As an energy-efficient light source, they use very little power when compared with older halogen or incandescent bulbs. Over time you will notice the difference on your electricity bills, too.

As LEDs are now available in virtually every shape, size, fitting, even colour imaginable, you won’t have to compromise on light fittings to fully embrace LED technology and start reaping the rewards.

Adding LEDs to your home is a huge benefit to the environment, helping to reduce your household’s carbon emissions significantly.

How do LED bulbs save energy?

We are all becoming increasingly aware of ways to reduce our own carbon footprints. Things like avoiding single use plastic, eating less meat and recycling as much as possible can all help towards living a more sustainable lifestyle. But did you know that using LEDs and other emerging technologies could also have a positive impact?

When searching for lights on our site, look out for the filter highlighting LED for our range of integrated LED fittings or follow the links below for our best-selling ranges. To double check, do check out the specification of the light before purchasing.

Solar Lighting

When it comes to energy-saving lights, solar lighting is really a no brainer. These lights harness the energy of the sun alone to power up, without the need for plugs, batteries, mains wiring. Nor will you ever have to consider their running costs, the impact on your bills or the environment.

Solar lights used to be viewed as disposable, almost throwaway, annual purchases. However, the quality of solar lights has improved vastly, and they now last much longer; typically, between 5 to 10 years at a time without losing any of their brightness. It’s worth investing in different lights for the various areas of your garden, especially if you are planning to spend more time outdoors.

The range and variety of solar lights available is huge. String lights, feature lights and wall lights which are designed to decorate outdoor spaces, are perfect for parties or enjoying evenings in the garden or on the balcony. They are the perfect way to create ambience outdoors, without breaking the bank or needing an electrician. On the more practical side, wall lights, bollards, floodlights and spotlights will improve safety and visibility to all external areas including gardens, walkways and paths.

Why not take a look at our range of solar party lights, floodlights, posts and bollards, and much more.

What else can I do to save energy?

As well as replacing all your traditional bulbs, there’s lots you can do with lighting to save even more energy throughout your home:

Always turn off the lights when you leave the room. Even if you’re just leaving the room to make a call, to have dinner etc, if no-one’s in it, switch off the lights.

Rather than automatically switching on lamps and lights, be aware about how many you’re switching on and whether you really need them. For example, could you open the blinds or curtains to let more natural light in first?

When deciding on the position of light switches, think about putting them in the most convenient position – i.e. at the bottom of the stairs, at the entrance of the room, at the end of a hallway.

Instead of leaving the lights on when you go out at night, use timer switches.

Install dimmer switches. By using one, you will be reducing the amount of energy flowing into the fitting, helping you save a bit more energy overall.

Think about the using the most appropriate lighting for the room it’s in. For example, an office might need much brighter lighting that the sitting room, where softer background lighting is better. Having a range of different lights, such as lamps and ceiling lights, with their own switches will help with this.

You may not have realised this but cleaning light fixtures, fittings and bulbs can also help improve how they use energy. When bulbs are dirty and encrusted with dust, it’s estimated they could emit up to 30% less energy than when they’re freshly cleaned. So, get out the step ladder, some dry cloths, and get dusting all the bulbs and lights in your home today. Remember, it’s important to use a dry cloth, without any water or detergent on it, so as not to risk any damage to the electrics inside your light fittings or the bulbs themselves.

If you install smart bulbs you can control the lights from your phone or tablet even when you’re away from home. This is a much better approach for security that simply leaving the lights on or using a traditional timer.

Smart bulbs work just as well if you’re in another part of your home or perhaps you simply can’t be bothered getting up off the sofa, and want to adjust the lighting. There is a wealth options available to you at your fingertips. Dim, brighten, or adjust the colour of your smart lights by using apps such as Phillips Hue.

Smart lighting can be connected through Amazon Alexa or Google Home devices using voice control or to set handy alerts. How about using lighting to help wake you up in the morning with gradual lighting, to mimic natural sunrise?

We sell a wide range of energy saving lighting products, designed to make life easier for you and save the planet at the same time. Whether you are looking to revamp your living spaces or give gardens a decorative touch, we have energy-saving lighting solutions to suit your needs. If you have any questions about any of our products, our experienced and knowledgeable customer service team are on hand to help, so why not drop them a line at customerservice@onlinelighting.co.uk